Wrapping or packing articles



July 6, 1937. w. E. MOLINS WRA1?PING OR PACKING ARTICLE Filed Dec. 13,1934' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ima @1464 I luv rue 6 July 6, 1937. w. E. MOLINS2,086,169

WRAPPING OR PACKING ARTICLE Filed Dec. 15, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4mm 574M 32 146274 rneys Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.-

WRAPPING OR. PACKING ARTICLES Application December 13, 1934, Serial No.757,391

In Great Brltain December 13, 1933 14 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to wrapping or packingarticles and refers more particularly to a wrapping or packing forcigarettes.

The usual wrapping of cigarettes as a batch in a common package isunsatisfactory as once the packet is opened the cigarettes become out ofcondition either from atmospheric conditions such as dampness, the heatof the body of the 1 consumer or from absorbing odor or perfumes whenbeing carried in handbags.

When cigarettes are manufactured they are subjected to conditioning orother processes of treatment in the factory, and to secure complete 15satisfaction to the consumer they should reach him withoutdeterioration, and the present invention provides an improved wrappingor packing of the kind wherein each cigarette is partial-- ly containedin a wrapper and the uncovered por- 20 tions of the individualcigarettes are sealed against atmospheric or any of the other conditionsabove described by means of a container arranged to hold a predeterminednumber of cigarettes. This container will be hereinafter 25 referred toas a common wrapper or packing.

According to the present invention, there is provided a wrapping orpacking for articles (for example cigarettes) wherein a predeterminednumber of individual articles are contained in a 80 common wrapper orcontainer, each individual article being provided with a wrapper whichexposes at least one end of the article, wherein the edge of eachwrapper at the exposed end or ends is substantially flush with the endor 185 ends of the article, and wherein the open end or ends of theindividual wrapper are sealed by the I common wrapper or packing or by aliner in combination therewith.

The common wrapper may comprise a packet 40 of the slide and shell type,and the liner forming the sealing element for the ends of the individualwrappers may be provided on those portions of the slide element of thepacket which are adjacent the ends of the articles. In another form ofthe invention, the common wrapper may comprise a packet formed fromnonrigid wrapping material (e. g., paper) and the liner forming thesealing element for the ends of the individual wrappers may be providedin combination with those portions of the wrapping material which areadjacent the ends of the articles or a reinforcing element may beprovided within the common wrapper and the sealing 55 element for theends of the individual wrappers may be provided on those portions of thereinforcing element which are adjacent the ends of the articles.

Further, according to the present'invention there may be provided inconnection'with the common wrapper means operative to effect the initialstripping action when the wrapper ofan individual article is beingremoved from about the article. The means for effecting this action maycomprise serrations. on the edge of a closure element of a slide whenthe common wrapper comprises a slide and shell packet, or when areinforcing element is used in connection with a common wrapping formedfrom non-rigid material, the reinforcing element may be serrated (e. g.,at least one of the free ends of the reclosed wrapper of the slide andshell type according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a folded slide elementconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cigarette contained in a wrapperopen at both ends.

Figure 6 illustrates a blank formed from nonrigid material for use'informing the common wrapper in accordance with the invention. Figures 7and 8 show stages of the folding of the blank illustrated in Figure 6.Figure 9 shows a modified form of blank formed from non-rigid materialin accordance with the invention.

Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views illustrating various stagesduring the folding of the blank shown in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating a reinforcing elementconstructed in accordance with the invention, such element being used inconnection with the form of wrapping illustrated in Figures 6 to 11inclusive.

Figure 13 illustrates an unfolded slide and shows means for effecting-aninitial stripping operation of a wrapper from about an individualarticle.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a slide and shell packet constructedin accordance with the invention, and illustrates the manner in whichthe initial stripping action of an individual wrapper is effected.

Figure 15 is a perspective view illustrating a reinforcing elementconstructed in accordance with the invention, and having means foreffecting an initial stripping action of an individual wrapper fromaboutan article.

Like references refer to like parts throughout the specification anddrawings.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5inclusive, the articles I, which will hereinafter be referred to for thepurpose of example as cigarettes, are partially enclosed in wrappers 2which may, for example, be transparent wrapping material such as theimpermeable transparent wrapping sold under the registered trade-markCellophane. A

. wrapper 2 is wrapped around each cigarette so that only the ends ofthe cigarette are left uncovered by the wrapper and the ends of thewrapper are substantially flush with the ends of the cigarette. v

A batch containing a predetermined number of cigarettes wrapped in themanner shown in Figure 5 is then inserted into a common wrapper orcontainer which in this form of the invention comprises a slide 3 andshell 4 of well known construction. The common wrapper is so constructedthat when the common wrapper is closed the ends of the cigarettes fitsnugly into the wrapper, that is to say, the cigarettes are ofsubstantially the same length as the common wrapper.

The cover flaps 5 of the slide element are provided on those faces whichare adjacent the ends of the cigarettes when the common wrapper isclosed, with a liner 6 which may be composed of transparent wrappingmaterial of the kind above described, or may be composed of any formofmoisture-proof material or other material suitable for the purpose ofsealing'the open ends of the wrappers 2.

The liner 6 may be placed on the cover flaps 5 of the slide 3 in themanner illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and may be of awidth slightly greater than the width of the cover flaps I, as shown inthe drawings, so that when the cover flaps 5 are in position and thecommon wrapper closed, the liner 6 bears on the ends of the cigarettesand slightly overlaps the ends thereof so as to form a recess for theends of the cigarettes. In this way the sealing of each individualcigarette is more effectively made, as shown in the sectional elevationin Figure 3 of thedrawings. If the liner 6 is composed of material whichis of a sufficiently flexible nature,

the liner may be arranged so as to extend beyond the ends of thecigarettes when the common wrapper is closed in a manner similar to thatshown in Figure 4. The liners may be secured to the cover flaps by anysuitable means, such forexample as adhesive.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 ofthe drawings, the common wrapper is formed from non-rigid wrappingmaterial, such for example as paper, and the liners 6 are applied tothose portions of the wrapping material which will be adjacent the endsof the cigarettes when the material forming the common wrapper is foldedabout them. In forming the common wrapper about the cigarettes, thebatch of cigarettes is placed upon the panel 1 of the wrapper blank andthe panel 8 is then folded over the upper surface of the batch, and theside panel 9 is folded into engagement with the side panel I0 so thatthe wrapper forms an open ended shell about the cigarettes. The portionsof the wrapper provided with the liners 6 are next folded intoengagement with the ends of the cigarettes as shown in Figure 7,thereafter the narrow end folds II are folded in the manner shown inFigure 8 and the broad end flaps l2 are then folded upwardly in order tocomplete the wrapper.

In Figures 9 to 11, a further form of the invention is illustrated, andin this form the invention'is also applied to a common wrapper composedof non-rigid material, and the material of the common wrapper is foldedabout the articles in the form of a U-shaped block ended wrapper of wellknown construction. Referring to Fig ure 9, it will be seen that theliners 6 are applied to those portions of the wrapper which form theblock end of the wrapper and which are adjacent the end ofthe-cigarettes at that end of the wrapper opposite the block end thereofrespectively. The wrapper blank is folded about the cigarettes into aU-shaped block ended wrapper, open at one end, in the usual manner, andthat portion of the wrapper, at the open end of the common wrapper,which is provided with the liner 6 is then folded into engagement withthe ends of the cigarettes as shown in Figure 10, whereafter the narrowend folds I3 are folded downwardly and the broad end flap [4 is foldedto complete the wrapper.

Figure 12 illustrates a further modified form of the invention, andconsists of a reinforcing strip 15 formed from cardboard or similarmaterial, such strips being commonly-used in conjunction with wrappersof the non-rigid types above referred to and being placed within thewrappers in order to give the wrappers the necessary rigidity.

When a reinforcing strip I5 is used in accordance with the invention,the non-rigid wrapping material of the common wrapper is not providedwith liners in the manner previously described, but the liners areapplied to the portions l6 and I! of the reinforcing strip as shown inFigure 12.

In each form of the invention described above, when the consumer opensthe container, the ends of the cigarettes are exposed in the normal way,and the consumer then removes a cigarette from the package and stripsoff the outer wrapper which envelops the individual cigarette, thecigarette then being ready for smoking. When the consumer closes thepacket after taking out a cigarette, the remaining cigarettes are againtial wrapping operation may be effected, and in this way one or both ofthe closure flaps l8 of the slide element of the slide and shell packetis cut away as shown at Is by means of serrations 20, which leavebetween each pair of serrations a tongue portion which is preferably ofa width slightly less than the diameter of the cigarette from which thewrapper is to be stripped. The method of stripping the wrapper from thecigarette is clearly illustrated in Figure 14, from which it will beseen that the end of the cigarette from which the wrapper is to bestripped. is pressed into engagement with the end of the tongue, and thewrapper 2 is pressed over the tongue as illustrated in the drawings.When this operation has been effected. the end of the cigarette projectsfrom one end of the wrapper 2, as shown in Figure 14, and the free endof a cigarette can be readily gripped and the cigarette withdrawn fromthe wrapper.

Figure 15 illustrates the manner in which the stripping means may beapplied to a reinforcing strip l5, and since the free end of the portionI6 is serrated in the manner similar to that described above, it is notnecessary further to describe the manner in which the stripping means isapplied to the strip I5.

It will be appreciated that although the tongue is shown in the drawingsasbeing out below the edges of the closure flap I 8 and element l6respectively that the end of the tongue may be substantially parallelwith the edges or may, if

desired, be arranged to project beyond the ends of the said edges.

The word cigarette, as employed in the appended claims, designates acomplete cigarette comprising comminuted tobacco enclosed in the usualwrapper of cigarette paper or tobacco, which wrapper is intended to beconsumed with the tobacco. The separate wrapper referred to in theclaims is a wrapper entirely distinct from said usual wrapper, appliedoutside of said usual wrapper and intended to. serve as a protectivecovering for the latter as well as for the tobacco filler. The termprotective as used in the claims designates a wrapper or wrappingmaterial having characteristics, such aTs increased resistance tomoisture, etc., rendering it superior to the said usual wrapper, whichis a part of the cigarette, for the purpose of protecting the cigaretteas hereinbefore set forth.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1.-A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separateprotective wrapper for each cigarette so formed as to leave at least oneend of the cigarette exposed, and a common container receiving aplurality of wrapped cigarettes, said container having protectivewrapping material associated therewith and arranged for cooperation withthe separate wrappers at exposed ends of the cigarettes to complete theenclosure of the latter.

2. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separate,generally tubular wrapper of protective material for the individualcigarettes leaving at least one end exposed, and a common container forthe cigarettes having protective wrapping material positioned forengagement with the exposed ends of the cigarettes to form a closure forthe latter.

3. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separate,generally tubular wrapper of protective material for the individualcigarettes leaving at least one end exposed, and a common container forthe cigarettes having a protective portion positioned for engagementwith the exposed ends of the cigarettes to form 'a closure for thelatter, said portion constituting a closure flap for the container.

4. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separate,generally tubular wrapper of protective material for the individualcigarettes leaving at least one end exposed, and a common container forthe cigarettes having a portion positioned for engagement with theexposed ends of the cigarettes to form a closure for the latter, saidportion constituting a closure flap for the container and havingassociated therewith a moisture-proof liner for direct association withthe exposed cigarette ends.

5. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separate,generally tubular wrapper of moisture-proof material surrounding eachcigarette so as to leave the ends thereof exposed, a common containerreceiving a predetermined number of cigarettes and provided with atleast one liner of moisture-proof material cooperating with the separatewrappers at the ends of the cigarettes to complete the enclosureofthe-cigarettes.

6. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes as defined ln claim 5 in whichthe container is provided with a readily opened closure flap and withseparate liners secured by adhesive to the inner surfaces of thecontainer at opposite ends thereof, at least one of said liners beingassociated with the closure flap.

7. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separateprotective wrapper for each cigarette so formed as to leave at least oneend of the cigarette exposed, and a common, rigid container of the slideand shell type receiving a plurality of wrapped cigarettes and havingassociated therewith protective wrapping material arranged forcooperation with the separate wrappers at exposed ends of the cigarettesto complete the enclosure of the latter.

8. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separatewrapper of moisture-proof material for each cigarette so formed as toleave at least one end of the cigarette exposed, and a common, rigidcontainer of the slide and shell type receiving a plurality of wrappedcigarettes and having a portion thereof arranged for cooperation withthe separate wrappers at exposed ends of the cigarettes to complete theenclosure of the latter, said portion of the container constituting anend of the slide adjacent the exposed ends of the cigarettes and havingassociated therewith a liner of moisture-proof material.

9. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separatewrapper of moisture proof material for each cigarette so formed as toleave at least one end of the cigarette exposed,,and a common wrapper ofnon-rigid material receiving a predetermined number of separatelywrapped cigarettes, the portion-of the wrapper which is adjacent theexposed ends of the cigarettes when the wrapper is closed being providedwith a liner of moisture-proof material.

10. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separateprotective wrapper for each cigarette so formed as to leave at least oneend of the cigarette exposed, a common container receiving a pluralityof wrapped cigarettes, and a reinforcing strip positioned within thecontainer and extending at least partially about the cigarettes, saidstrip having a protective portion cooperating with said separatewrappers to form a closure forthe exposed cigarette ends.

11. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separatewrapper of moisture-proof material for each cigarette so formed as toleave at least one end'of the cigarette exposed, and a common containerreceivinga plurality of wrapped cigarettes and having a portion thereofarranged for cooperation with the separate wrappers at exposed ends ofthe cigarettes to' com plete the enclosure of the latter, said portionof the container having secured thereto a liner of moisture-proofmaterial.

12. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separateprotective wrapper for each cigarette so formed as to leaveat least oneend of the cigarette exposed, a common container re- 13. A wrapping orpacking for cigarettes which 7 comprises a separate protective wrapperfor each cigarette so formed as to leave at least one end of thecigarette exposed, and a common container of relatively rigid materialhaving a protective portion thereof arranged for cooperation with theseparate wrappers at exposed ends or the ciga rettes to complete theenclosure of the latter, said container being formed to provide aprojecting tongue portion for engaging the end of a removed, separatelywrapped cigarette to facilitate withdrawal of the cigarette from thewrapper.

14. A wrapping or packing for cigarettes which comprises a separateprotective wrapper for each cigarette so formed as to leave at least oneend of the cigarette exposed, and a common container of relatively rigidmaterial, said container having a protective closure element arranged tofold across the exposed ends of the cigarettes to complete the enclosurethereof, said closure element being-provided withmeans for engagingtheend of a removed, separately wrapped cigarette to iacilitatewithdrawal of the cigarette from the wrapper. gr 7 WALTER EVERE'I'IMOLINS.

